Road Trip Overview

On Thursday, January 5th we took a Southwest flight to Memphis, TN arriving in the evening to not the warm clime we were expecting.  We got there just as a storm system was arriving from the west.

We brought our GPS with us on the trip since the rental car didn't come with one.  It was a life saver.

We prebooked only two of our accommodations: one at the start and one at the end of our trip.  We relied on the internet and various booking sites to find the next night's place to stay as we traveled.

The first two nights our pre-booked accommodation was in Hernando, MS just 30 minutes from Memphis at the Magnolia Grove Bed and Breakfast.  We awoke on Friday morning to snow.

From Memphis we drove south to Vicksburg, MS finding a nice Bed and Breakfast for cheap called Baer House arriving on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday, the 8th we continued south along the Mississippi River to a stopover in Baton Rouge, LA the capital city.  The old capitol was closed but it sure was impressive.

We made use of a Hampton Inn that Sunday night and then continued south to New Orleans where we had accommodations for Monday night at St Christopher Hotel, a Best Western property adjacent to the French Quarter.

From New Orleans we headed east to the beach along the Gulf staying for two nights at a Hampton Inn resort in Orange Beach, AL.  Such a lovely spot, too.

Next stop was three nights in Tallahassee, FL at another Hampton Inn.  No alligators in the city but there was a wonderful park south of town.

Our last stopover was pre-booked at the Tropical Breeze Resort on Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL for two nights.

Tuesday the 17th we flew home from Tampa.

So that's the overview.  Stay tuned for the particulars.  It was a fabulous vacation.

Home from Road Trip

We got home this afternoon from our road trip from Memphis, TN to Sarasota, FL.

What a grand time we had.  Lots of sights to see and treasure.

Here's a teaser for future posts.

Joining Tuesday Treasures.

Tennessee

Mississippi

Louisiana

Alabama

Florida

Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico

On the Road

Dan and I are traveling.  We flew to Memphis on Thursday thinking we were getting away from cold weather.  We brought it with us.  We stayed over the state line in a bed and breakfast in Mississippi. We headed south on Saturday staying in Vicksburg. Last night we were in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  We are off to New Orleans this morning and then will turn east along the Gulf coast.  Our destination is Sarasota, FL by Sunday.  We'll fly home on Tuesday.

No photos to post yet.  I'll have lots to share over many posts.

Dover, Delaware

Friends of ours have as a goal to visit every U.S. state capital.  Driving through doesn't count.  They have to visit the capitol building or have a meal in the town.

One cold December day we accompanied them to Dover the capital of Delaware.  We visited the historic capitol building (the Old State House) and had lunch so they can check this state off their list now.

Above is the Old State House as it looks now after a major renovation to return it to what it looked like when first built.  Below is what it looked like before the renovation.

Next door is the Delaware Supreme Court.

All of these building face a small park called The Green.

Immediately upon stepping into the State House, you are in a court room as it looked when Delaware was first a state.  Delaware had a three judge system, that's why there are 3 chairs on the highest dais.

Upstairs are two chambers, one for the state senate and the other for the state representatives.

The rooms are small because a small state like Delaware didn't need many of either type of legislators.  

Above the chambers is a smaller viewing gallery.

I took this shot from that viewing gallery.

This painting looked a bit strange to us until the docent told us that a body double posed for the body of Washington.  Doesn't the head look like its not on right?

Looking out to The Green.

The other windows look out on Legislative Hall: The State Capitol.

We stopped into a tiny house on The Green where a young woman in period garb (a state park employee) gave us background information on Delaware and related the story of Caesar Rodney, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware.

In warmer weather, walking tours of the capital are offered from this building.  We enjoyed sitting by the warm fire to hear her stories.

A nice lunch was here in the Governor's Club Cafe, also by a fire.

It gets its name because its across the street from the governor's mansion.

It was a nice trip.  We hope to do it again to visit Harrisburg, PA.